Transmission of toxigenic Corynebacterium diphtheriae by a fully immunised resident returning from a visit to West Africa, United Kingdom, 2017.
Euro Surveill
; 23(39)2018 09.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-30280689
ABSTRACT
In early 2017, a United Kingdom (UK)-born person in their 20s presented with a skin ulcer on the foot 3 weeks after returning from Ghana. The patient had last received a diphtheria-containing vaccine in 2013, completing the recommended course. MALDI-TOF of a cutaneous swab identified Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Real-time PCR ascertained the species and presence of the diphtheria toxin gene. An Elek test confirmed toxigenicity. The isolate was macrolide sensitive and penicillin resistant. The local Public Health England (PHE) Health Protection Team obtained the patient's clinical history and traced contacts to inform appropriate public health action. One close contact (in their early 80s with uncertain immunisation status who had not recently travelled) had a positive throat swab for toxigenic C. diphtheriae and reported a history of mild coryzal symptoms. Multilocus sequence typing revealed that strains from the index case and contact had Sequence Type 463. Diphtheria is extremely rare in the UK due to high vaccine coverage and this is the first documented transmission in 30 years. Clinicians and laboratory staff should remain highly suspicious of lesions in overseas travellers, even when patients are fully vaccinated. Older individuals who might not have completed a full immunisation course may have higher diphtheria susceptibility.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Travel
/
Contact Tracing
/
Corynebacterium diphtheriae
/
Corynebacterium Infections
/
Diphtheria
Type of study:
Diagnostic_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Africa
/
Europa
Language:
En
Journal:
Euro Surveill
Journal subject:
DOENCAS TRANSMISSIVEIS
Year:
2018
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Reino Unido